Calf feeding and management: Effect of genotype (Bos taurus x Bos indicus), level of milk feeding and type of housing on the pre-weaning performance of crossbred calves

The effect of genotype (50%, 75% and 87.50, levels of milk (2 and 3 1/day) and types of housing (Barn and Hutch) on growth and survival were examined using thirty four crossbred calves Boran x Freisian (Bos Taurus x Bos indicus). Calves had access to a complete diet supplement (180 g/kg CP and 100 g/kg roughage) and were weaned when supplement intake reached 450 g/day for two consecutive days. Supplement dry matter intake of calves housed in the Barn was significantly higher (p0.05). However, mean weaning weight of crossbred calves with 50% exotic blood level was superior than the 75% and 87.5% (p